


A Moment's Quiet

by Tangela



Series: It's Ineffable [8]
Category: Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Crowley has Trauma from the Fall (Good Omens), Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Other, Snake Crowley (Good Omens), Thunderstorms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:00:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23648110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tangela/pseuds/Tangela
Summary: Crowley had always been afraid of thunderstorms. Luckily, he didn't have to face them on his own anymore.
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Series: It's Ineffable [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1407634
Comments: 5
Kudos: 89





	A Moment's Quiet

Being a demon meant that there wasn’t much that Crowley was afraid of, not anymore. But a few fears still lingered, things that followed him no matter how hard he tried to overcome them.

One of those fears was thunderstorms. It was almost primitive, something that he had never been able to deal with. No matter where he had been throughout history, at the first rumble of thunder, he’d immediately hide himself away until it was over. He’d never told anyone, for fear of it being used against him. After all, demons weren’t exactly known for their kindness, not even to their own. Even Aziraphale, the being who had been by his side from the very Beginning, knew nothing of it.

Crowley had sensed the storm coming before it had even begun. He was curled up asleep behind the counter in Aziraphale’s shop, long after he had locked up for the evening. Now that they no longer had their respective sides darkening their doors, they were free to spend more time together, and as a result, Crowley had taken to spending a little more time in his serpent form. He spent lazy Summer afternoons sleeping in the warmest window of the bookshop, much to Aziraphale’s delight, as no amount of distractions and arguments could deter a potential customer quite like a snake could. In the Winter, Aziraphale had been kind enough to provide a heater for him to keep warm.

Crowley lifted his head from the cushion it lay on, smelling the air. Aziraphale was next to him, cozied up in one of his favourite armchairs with a book in his lap.

At the first roll of thunder, Crowley’s first instinct was to find somewhere to hide. Which, as it happened, was Aziraphale’s trouser leg.

“Crowley!” Aziraphale yelped, almost dropping his book.

Crowley had the decency, at least, to stop around the knee. Not that he would have been able to fit much further, but decency was the argument he was setting aside for later.

“Whatever is the matter with you?” Aziraphale demanded, trying to coax Crowley out.

If anyone were to walk in on them right now, they’d have quite a few questions.

Another roll of thunder sounded, followed soon after by the sound of pouring rain.

Aziraphale softened.

“My dear, are you afraid of thunder?” he asked softly.

The rain grew heavier as the storm carried on around them.

“It’s alright, darling, it can’t possibly harm you in here.”

Aziraphale kept his voice a soft murmur, so as not to frighten Crowley any more.

“Could you come out for me? I’m sure we can find a better place for you than there.”

It took a little more coaxing, but eventually Crowley poked his head back out, into Aziraphale’s waiting hands.

“There we are, dear,” he murmured, giving Crowley a reassuring smile.

Carefully, he lifted Crowley up around his shoulders, letting him settle himself across the back of the armchair. Crowley wasn’t exactly the smallest in this form, but he’d long ago learned not to underestimate Aziraphale’s strength.

He bumped Aziraphale’s cheek lightly before resting his head on the angel’s shoulder. Aziraphale sat still for a few moments as Crowley settled, before he picked up his book again.

With each new clap of thunder, Crowley was up in a heartbeat, his head in constant motion until the noise stopped, a soft, soothing sound following after. It took him a moment to notice that Aziraphale was talking to him, and then he realised that he was reading to him. Crowley tried to focus on Aziraphale’s voice as he read, and gradually he began to settle again, resting his head once more on the angel’s shoulder. The storm raged on, but Crowley forced himself to keep his focus, until eventually he grew tired and drifted asleep, his head half-tucked into Aziraphale’s cardigan.

\--

It was some time later when Aziraphale came to, alone and with a blanket around him. He hadn’t even noticed that he’d nodded off. His book had been put safely aside, his place secured with a bookmark. Aziraphale smiled to himself, a fondness he’d only ever really felt for one person washing over him. Crowley had never been one for words, he’d always found it easier to show his affection through his actions. Aziraphale had learned that quickly enough. Anytime he’d landed himself in hot water - and there had been more times than Aziraphale would like to readily admit - it had always been Crowley who was there to save him.

He made his way up the stairs to the little apartment that sat above the bookshop, turning off the lights as he went. Much like Crowley, he had picked up a number of human habits over the centuries, this being one of them. There was a strange comfort in it, Aziraphale found. For a brief moment he could forget about Above and Below and all of the things he was supposed to be, but much like Crowley, never quite measured up to. In those little moments, he was a man with a bookshop and nothing more.

He found Crowley curled up on his bed, in his human form again. He was still dressed, even down to his shoes. Aziraphale sighed, clicking his fingers. He had no intention of trying to move Crowley, not now that he had finally settled, and well, Aziraphale was sure he’d sleep better without all of those uncomfortable layers. He dressed himself for bed, sliding under the covers as carefully as he could manage.

He had barely closed his eyes when he felt Crowley stirring next to him.

“…Angel?” he called, voice hoarse from sleep.

“I’m here,” Aziraphale replied.

The bed shifted, and Crowley was moving in close to Aziraphale, sliding his arms around him.

“Thank you,” he mumbled into Aziraphale’s shoulder.

“Whatever for, dear?”

“Looking after me.”

Aziraphale smiled to himself, gently pulling Crowley closer to him.

“You’re always looking after me,” he said, “It seems only fair that I do the same for you now and again.”

Crowley didn’t reply, and after a few minutes, Aziraphale thought that he had fallen asleep again.

“I hate it,” he mumbled after a time.

“What is it that you hate?”

“Getting scared of a storm like that. Like I’m a child. Makes me feel weak.”

“We all have our fears, darling. It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Aziraphale replied.

He reached out, tentatively trailing his fingers through Crowley’s hair. He expected Crowley to flinch, to pull away, but instead he leaned in closer, letting Aziraphale play with his hair.

“I just wanna forget already,” Crowley said, his voice so soft that Aziraphale could only just hear him.

“The storm?” he offered, somehow already knowing that that wasn’t what Crowley had meant.

“The Fall,” Crowley whispered.

Aziraphale felt his stomach drop. Crowley was never one for keeping secrets, at least not now they were finally able to be themselves around each other, but the Fall was one thing that he never talked about.

Aziraphale swallowed, trying to choose his next words carefully.

“Things like that tend to leave a mark on us,” he said, his fingers still running through Crowley’s hair.

Crowley only pressed closer to him.

“You don’t have to talk about it, dear, I won’t force you.”

He felt Crowley’s shaky sigh against his shoulder.

“Thanks,” was all he managed, but Aziraphale could feel the weight of the world in that one word.

“Do try and get some sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Crowley looked up, his slitted eyes watching Aziraphale carefully.

“You promise?” he murmured, and he sounded worried.

Aziraphale smiled warmly, pressing a kiss to Crowley’s forehead.

“I promise,” he replied.

Crowley let out a deep sigh, tucking his head under Aziraphale’s chin. Still trying to hide, Aziraphale realised, even now. But hadn’t that been something that they’d been doing together, through all the years they’d been on Earth? Letting no one see them, really see them, but each other. There was some small comfort to be found, knowing that this was one more part of himself that Crowley wasn’t hiding away on his own anymore.

With a small smile, Aziraphale let himself follow Crowley into sleep for the night.

**Author's Note:**

> It's been so long since I've written for the Good Omens fandom, and I sincerely hope this is okay. I'm definitely due a rewatch. As always, kudos and comments are greatly appreciated, they help keep me writing. Thank you so much for reading!


End file.
